I need ideas for putting an accurate vinyl roof on this car.

[Monty]

I happened to see Helix's '69 Riviera on here (if you haven't seen it, it's definitely worth a look) and I remembered that I have this kit stuck away on my back shelves. I intend to build it using one color for the body with a contrasting color for the vinyl roof. The problem is the ventilation vents at the base of the rear window. Whether I try to make a vinyl roof using masking tape or use the method where you spray an adhesive for texture followed by color coats, it seems these vents are doomed to be obscured if not completely covered up. (Keep in mind that they're 1/25 scale vents)

So...any ideas how I can pull this off?

Edited January 14, 2014 by Monty

[John Pol]

I would use masking tape it looks like the right texture for it

[booboo60]

I have done a few of these, You can get a can Of "Vinyl top spray " at Auto Zone, Advance has it too, Now When I bought mine thy had blck an white only, The clerk told me thy were going to be getting several new color, If thy have white you can spry it, you spray it on, then use hair dryer on hot, high and it wrinkles up nice, I used strylien for the seams, worked good, let me know if you need details on anything else,"u need too sand the roof some,rough finish worked better on my second one,

[Art Anderson]

I would use masking tape it looks like the right texture for it

I'll second that opinion! I've used masking tape a number of times to replicate vinyl tops, and once built and painted, it looks remarkably like the real thing, AND it can be overlapped where you see the two seams in the roof on that Riv very realistically. However, in studying several pics of actual '69 Rivs, the vinyl top material used seems to not have much of a texture to it--several cars I looked at with Google Chrome Image Search show vinyl tops that appear merely a semi-gloss, but smooth finish. If that is the case, then simply paint, followed by a semi-gloss clear should do the job, and that shouldn't obsure those little vents.

Art

[Erik Smith]

Second Art's idea of painting a semi gloss top. If you have an airbrush, you can spray a little too-far-away to give it just a slight texture. Rattle can could work too, but it tougher to get a fine texture - at least for me...

[jaydar]

Is there a description of the masking tape method somewhere close by?

Joe.

[Guest]

One thing you don't want to do is add strips of styrene on the roof! I've never seen anyone do that and make it look right. They're always too wide and too thick. I've done the masking tape method and it works pretty well. But, it still leaves some to be desired. If I were to do another vinyl top, I would mask the sides of the top and paint the center section first. Then, mask off the center leaving a mm or less showing and spray the sides. The laps on the paint would give you the lines and not be so out of scale like we always see.

[booboo60]

Too each there own, if it looks good to.me and I'm.happy then its a success, ive never.used the tape. But that don't mean I'm going to slam you for it, all i can say is trail and error till you find something that looks good to you. Well one good thing, you now know someone that uses plastic strips for tops now, happy building.

[ChrisBcritter]

My low-tech solution for a '64 Galaxie: Left the roof in bare plastic and sprayed it with Krylon satin black lacquer. When the surface crazed it looked pretty close to a scale vinyl roof; you just have to make sure every other surface is masked off.

[jaydar]

Speaking of seems, does the center overlap the sides or vice versa?

Still looking for tip on how to do masking tape method.

Joe.

[greymack]

Hi there another product you can use to replicate a vinyl roof is tremclad hammered that works wonderfully too

[cruz]

I definitely use plastruct to simulate the molding that separates the body from the roof and also for the strips that run across the top of the roof. Make sure to fill the middle part with a few heavy coats of primer, this way it will be easier to replicate the overlap on the strips of the roof. I simply airbrush a few coats of Testor's enamel Gloss Black from afar to create heavy orange peel. Once dry, I will sand lightly and then shoot either a semi gloss black color to dull down the gloss, of course if that is your color of choice.

[meaneyme]

Well, so much for avoiding the use of the styrene strips on the roof. Looks to me that it's the way to go. Pictures say a thousand words so thanks Cruz. The primer trick is outstanding.